Something old, something new for you to watch this weekend. First, a very cool video, unfortunately in French, from JP Sonnen showing the Declaration of the Dogma of the Assumption by Venerable Pope Pius XII in 1950, in (mostly) glorious, living color:

The good old days, indeed. Rome and Saint Peter’s as it looked in the early 50s. Sede gestoria and all! St. Peters brilliantly lit in candlelight! Unfortunately there was a serpent writhing just under the surface in all these scenes. Incredible how far and fast the Church fell from this, to the first session of Vatican II.

On a more sour note (maybe watch the first video first, to feel better afterwards?) Johnnie V and Chris Ferrara discuss whether Catholics should fear the reaper Synod:

It is being reported – all, it seems, from the same original article – that Pope Francis sent a letter of thanks to the author of a book designed to indoctrinate children into acceptance of perverse family arrangements. This is a book found so offensive that it was banned by the mayor of Venice, hardly a rad-trad himself.

So, is this a further revelation of just what kind of literally unimaginable, and irreconcilable, this pontiff holds, or is that dirty Cardinal Sodano forging letters in his name again (if he ever did)? I copy from St. Corbinian’s Bear, you decide (seriously, I ripped pretty much all this off, but since you never expect Friday PM content, count yourself lucky. Hopefully I won’t suffer a bear-mauling in retribution for my naked theft. Click on this link at least four times!):

The Holy Father has sent a letter praising Francesca Pardi for a children’s book in which an egg encounters all sorts of different families, including those headed by gay penguins and lesbian rabbits. The controversial book, which was banned in Venice, touched hearts at the Vatican. According to an article in The Guardian, the letter said:

“His holiness is grateful for the thoughtful gesture and for the feelings which it evoked, hoping for an always more fruitful activity in the service of young generations and the spread of genuine human and Christian values,” wrote Peter B Wells, a senior official at the Vatican secretariat of state.

[This was also claimed: “The Vatican said the closing blessing of the private letter was addressed to Pardi and not in support of teachings which went against church doctrine on ‘gender theory’.” However, that is dang near silence giving consent, since the matter of sodomite indoctrination books targeting children has been a huge issue in Italy (hence the action of the Mayor of Venice), and saying things like “fruitful activity in the service of young generations/spread of human values” gives the appearance of support. Sure it’s boilerplate and sure it’s a bit nebulous, but it’s a dang far cry from what it ought to be: a full-throated denial of the legitimacy of this kind of propaganda and its contradiction of Sacred Catholic belief]

The Bear will say this, after taking a deep breath. Obviously, this was not the doings of Pope Francis. The Vatican Secretariat of State has its own agenda. People are always taking advantage of poor Holy Father, by shoving anti-fracking T-shirts or commiefixes into his hands, or misquoting him, or making up stories about phone calls they supposedly received from him. This is a boilerplate letter, and the Pope certainly never even saw the book.

How does the Bear know this?

Because not even Pope Francis would approve of a book for young, impressionable children promoting homosexuality. Only a flat-out homosexual activist would abuse his position for such a purpose. This would constitute material assistance — through his endorsement — for a book even secular authorities found repulsive…….

Also, if he had, Michael Voris would have done a Vortex about it. Because if there’s one thing Michael Voris hates, it’s bishops who approve of homosexuality.

The Bear predicts that within 48 hours, we will see a retraction from the Vatican. And thus shall we know that the problem we have at Santa Marta is not a horror beyond all imagining or toleration.

Update: An important update added to the first post-script below. I also changed some verbiage in paras 3-6, particularly to shift emphasis from a certain third party that did not need to be mentioned. I altered greatly the last two sentences of paragraph 5 because it came out much rougher and with darker implications than I intended. I swore I changed that, and re-read this post several times before publishing, but apparently not. For that unnecessarily dark implication, I apologize.

The below is my own personal impression of the severe decay of a once most promising apostolate. They are strictly my own impressions and reminiscences.

It has been difficult for me to observe the changes that have afflicted Church Militant TV – formerly Real Catholic TV – over the past 2-3 years. During the period 2010-2012, I collaborated with Michael Voris a great deal. I, with Vicki Middleton’s (God rest her pious soul) gracious help, arranged to bring Michael Voris to Dallas for a talk in March of 2012. He stayed at our house for 3 days. We got along splendidly. He was honest, forthright, utterly sincere, and conveyed a clear understanding of the crisis that has afflicted the Church up to and including the role of the conciliar and post-conciliar popes in that crisis. I was thoroughly impressed and felt I was in the presence of a man who could really make a difference.

In fact, I would say that, until mid-2013, there was not a single topic on which we could be said to disagree. It was around this time however that the various reactions towards this pontificate began to manifest themselves. Some well-intentioned catechesis began to get around on the subject of souls, reacting to this pontificate, placing themselves under the care of the SSPX. Some of this catechesis was very strong. Be that as it may, the man who provides a great deal of CMTV’s funding and who seems to have had an increasing influence on editorial content in the past few years, in particular, took some of this catechesis and ran with it, so to speak, influencing, over time, CMTV’s approach to topics related to the SSPX, criticism of the pontificate, and some related matters.

I really believe I first began to witness a change infecting CMTV during the latter half of 2013. I believe it was this individual’s influence that served as a catalyst, at least, to later developments at CMTV regarding the SSPX, etc.

It was in the latter half of 2013 that this same individual began, privately, sending out a new, very negative position CMTV was going to stake out with regard to the SSPX. I’m not going to argue the merits of that position. However, he tried mightily to win me over to his very hostile view towards the Society. I simply don’t see the Society as being a major threat to souls today, certainly not anything that remotely compares to the dangers stemming from the modernists, the Synod, and this pontificate. When I refused to go along, it became apparent that a certain distance would open between myself and that organization, closing off most future avenues for future collaboration. There are other individuals who have experienced the same, that this issue regarding the SSPX and papal criticism was really a make or break one with respect to collaboration with CMTV.

The amazing thing is, privately, some folks at CMTV have, privately, inveighed quite harshly against Pope Franics. It is not a matter of not seeing the manifest problems. In fact I’ve heard some of the key players at CMTV say things regarding Pope Francis (privately) that go much beyond anything I or many others have written. But because they’ve gotten totally twisted off on this notion of “never criticize the pope publicly, no matter what,” and the complimentary notion that any criticism of the Pope will cause huge numbers of souls to “fly” to the SSPX, they refuse to broach this belief in public. Which, frankly, I’m fine with. If CMTV wants to privately counsel souls to avoid the SSPX and point out all the problems they perceive in that organization, fine. If they feel criticizing the Pope is not the right thing for them to do, fine. But they haven’t left it at that. They have waged unremitting war against those who feel differently and have spread ugliness and ill-will far and wide, including among many good people who have been in the struggle to restore the Church far, far longer than Michael Voris or “the funder” have been.

I don’t think I’m alone, but I have noticed a substantial change in demeanor at CMTV. There have been many examples posted of late of prior media content CMTV/RCTV produced that appears to disagree substantially with their current editorial stands. And so much of that prior material was really very, very good! Recently, the episode surrounding Bishop Schneider was frankly humiliating for CMTV. No one outside their most slavish devotees is buying what they’re selling in that bizarre exchange.

But when I say change, I’m referring to something more. I sense a negativity, a sort of dour imperiousness, that didn’t used to be so apparent, did it? I won’t say too much, but personnel is policy, and it could be this is the effect the influence of (a) certain individual(s). Even when castigating some grave scandal in the Church back in 2010 or 2011, Michael Voris had a certain……I’m not sure what the right word is, joyfulness, or a certain amount of levity…….that, to me, showed the love he had in his heart but also that he did not take himself too seriously, just yet. I don’t get that same vibe anymore, what I sense is something darker, more angry. Could it be self-interest? I pray not, and wouldn’t say so, either, just yet. Maybe it’s simply my imagination, but I have to wonder if this combat they’ve chosen to wage against “traditional Catholics” has not taken a huge toll. It is almost impossible to engage in bitter combat and harsh exchanges day in and day out and not be affected by it. I find it increasingly painful to watch a lot of their new content. I am heartbroken they haven’t had the wherewithal to step back, take a broader look at their policies and product, and contemplate taking a different course. That doesn’t have to mean surrender. But just let it drop, no one is convincing anyone of anything, that I can tell.

I’ve been watching their Youtube views, in a casual manner, for some time, and while I certainly could be wrong, their views appear to have dropped off substantially. That would make sense, given that they seem to have had an almost deliberate desire to offend a very large portion of their target audience. They have, to my mind, unnecessarily turned off a lot of people who wished them well and would have gladly been collaborators and supporters. Their content has become, to me, repetitive and increasingly off-target because they refuse to discuss the most pressing topic in the Church today. In fact, it seems increasingly hypocritical to just eviscerate bishops and cardinals, even to the point of declaring them excommunicate and demanding their resignations, while ignoring the man, or men, who put and keep those bishops and cardinals in their positions.

It’s all so sad. I’ve avoided writing on this subject for a long time. Maybe I’ll just spike this post, as I’ve trashed another half dozen like it over the past 12 monts. I’m going to post this time as a sort of cri de couer to CMTV to reexamine their editorial priorities, though, based on some inside experience of their decision-making, I’m skeptical it will do much good. I think their decision-making process is a big part of the problem.

The thing is, I know the staff at CMTV have always been very well-intentioned. In my experience dealing with them up to perhaps 18 months or so ago, they were totally focused on opposing the crisis in the Church, working towards a rightly-ordered restoration, and maintaining a constant focus on the good of souls. I’m sure that’s still the case, and certainly pray that is so. Unfortunately, this particular line of combat they’ve chosen to pursue seems to be increasingly undermining the very good they seek to do. That’s the main point of tragedy in it all.

PS – I have often defended Michael Voris against accusations he is a member of Opus Dei, and that it is his Opus Dei connection that drives his refusal to countenance papal criticism. His first major (or a major early) funder/collaborator, Marc Brammer, was certainly in Opus Dei. I used swear I recalled being told by MV that he is not in Opus Dei and has no affiliation with them, but my certainty has waned over the past year. Some folks have brought forth a bit of evidence of a connection. At this point I’m still skeptical but who knows. UPDATE: So I went back over some communiques several years old and found what I’d describe as clear and convincing evidence from several years ago that Michael Voris has no connection whatsoever with Opus Dei. I found another defense from much more recently that I think also pretty clearly dispels this accusation. Those put the matter to rest in my mind.

PPS – Another thought. We have seen repeatedly in recent years the deleterious effect celebrity can have on pious Catholics. We all know the experience of Fr. Corapi. It is almost impossible – it takes truly saintly virtue – not to be affected by constant adulation, throngs of people hanging on your every word, tons of subscribers, and all the rest. That is one reason I have refused many, MANY offers to expand “my media presence” by being on more notable radio shows, tying in with much bigger, more widely read blogs, putting my name really out there in the open, etc. In fact, it’s probably THE major reason why I don’t, I know who I am and I would easily fall into that trap should I start to get lots of kudos and affection. The few people who know me, you’re fine, please don’t feel shy, but hopefully you get what I mean, it’s one thing to have 50 or 100 people who know who you are and like your stuff, and another to have 50,000 or 100,000, to be treated as a hero wherever you go.

PPPS – I’m probably going to regret this post. I am not posting this to make enemies, even if I know it is possible it will be viewed that way. I don’t view anyone as an enemy, though I know some who do. I want to repeat that I think everyone on every side in this fracas – Michael Voris, Terry Carroll, Matt, Ferrara, Vennari, the SSPX, the FSSP, etc., all are completely honest actors and doing what they think is absolutely vital according to virtue and what is best for souls. I hope this post will be taken in the same sense. May we all treat each other accordingly.